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Server Time: 11/20/2009 5:49:53 PM PACIFIC |
 Mike Caro, 4POKER & Others - Table Selection, Ostebovik, 6. May 2003 18:03 | ||
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| I've been playing for a few months now with a growing passion for the game and learning to play it well. I'm not interested in playing to play but playing to win. Along the lines of another post here I played 2 hours at a table paying only the blinds because I got no cards and when I did (such as ATo in late position) there was a raise before me so I folded (crying fold?). I eventually changed tables... thus my question: How do I know I'm at a "good" table? I recently reread an article by Mike Caro where he talks about table selection and it's importance to beating the game. How can I tell if the table is "bad" for me? ie I am the least skilled and/or experienced player. Is this something that is learned over time? I have patience and discipline (most of the time anyway :-) ) both at the table playing and with regards to learning to play. Is practice gained at the table or watching the players while waiting for a seat...? Any help from those pros or experienced players would be greatly appreciated. Gerard. | ||
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| Re: Mike Caro, 4POKER & Others - Table Selection, Paul Stine, 6. May 2003 22:03 | ||
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| on 6. May 2003 18:03 Ostebovik wrote: > I've been playing for a few months now with a growing passion for the game and > learning to play it well. I'm not interested in playing to play but playing to > win. Along the lines of another post here I played 2 hours at a table paying > only the blinds because I got no cards and when I did (such as ATo in late > position) there was a raise before me so I folded (crying fold?). I eventually > changed tables... thus my question: > > How do I know I'm at a "good" table? I recently reread an article by Mike Caro > where he talks about table selection and it's importance to beating the game. > How can I tell if the table is "bad" for me? ie I am the least skilled and/or > experienced player. > > Is this something that is learned over time? I have patience and discipline > (most of the time anyway :-) ) both at the table playing and with regards to > learning to play. Is practice gained at the table or watching the players while > waiting for a seat...? > > Any help from those pros or experienced players would be greatly appreciated. > > Gerard. A bad table in not a function of the hands you are dealt and whether they win or lose, it is a based on whether you can make good decisions based on the other players at the table. Sometimes the other players are making better decisions than you. Then it is a bad table for you. Information can be gained by watching the table. Who draws when the pot doesn't warrant? Who is a habitual bluffer? Who only bets big hands and raises with the nuts? Who will bet any hand? This is all information that will allow you to make good decisions. Paul Stine College Station, TX | ||
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| Re: Mike Caro, 4POKER & Others - Table Selection, Big_Slick, 6. May 2003 22:08 | ||
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| A simply answer would be... you never want to be at a table with better players than you. That's in a "perfect poker world" however. If you're just starting out like me, a lot of people are going to better than you. That said, it is most imperative that you are not the weakest player either. You'll know a good table when you see one. There will be a housewife in seat 1 who always plays her pair to the river... no matter what it is. You've got the guy in seat 2 who plays every Friday night -- after he cashes his paycheck. He's been thinking about playing all week and simply can't contain his excitement. He's a calling station just hoping to get lucky. In seat 3 is Leonard. He's retired and only plays very good cards. He's not really dangerous because he never bluffs. If he's in a pot, you'd better take heed. In seat 4 is some college kid who caught "Rounders" on HBO last night. His parents just sent him some extra cash and he thinks poker is glamerous. He figures, how hard can it be? You get 2 cards to start plus 5 more. What else do I need to know? In seat 5 is a regular... a semi-pro if you will. He holds a regular job but plays 20 or 30 hours per week. He's friendly and talkative. His image throws people off a bit. They don't mind it so much when he rakes in his 3rd pot in a row later that evening. In seat 6 is a short, heavy guy named Gerald. We know his name is Gerald because his name tag says so. He's in for a convention and is really just lonely for company. The $200 he'll end up dropping is simply an entertainment expense. In seat seven is you. You play tight but aggressive. You know that bluffing doesn't work at this table so you only play quality hands. The cards are cold for you tonight and you curse your bad luck as the housewife pulls out another 20-dollar bill. You are tempted to start playing loose but realize that by doing so, you are costing yourself money. You are a better player than that. You have the edge in this game. The odds are in your favor. Besides, one good hand could easily equal a $100 pot. That's worth waiting for. So you'll sit and wait. That's what all good poker players do. | ||
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| Re: Mike Caro, 4POKER & Others - Table Selection, Andrew Wells, 6. May 2003 22:57 | ||
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| Excellent post! | ||
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| Re: Mike Caro, 4POKER & Others - Table Selection, stdioh, 7. May 2003 07:25 | ||
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| Great post. The most important thing about playing a winning poker game is table selection. More important than learning advanced playes that will win you a bet here and save you a bet there is being able to sit at a table and make this sort of analysis. Figure out how badly you are going to pummel the table, be realistic, and when things don't look good, get up and leave. | ||
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| Re: Mike Caro, 4POKER & Others - Table Selection, 4 POKER, 7. May 2003 01:36 | ||
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| A Good Game For You Would Be... >When you feel "Completely Comfortable" in the game and have a tremendous amount of "Confidence" with your "Decisions" and your "Game Plan". Simply put...when you can "Outplay Your Opponent". >When you can"Rank" yourself as one of the "Better Players" in the game. (and when you "Gain" more experience, you should be able to "Feel" that You ARE one of the Best if not "The Best" player in the game). Don't play with players that are "Stronger" than you, "You Won't Win". You're there to "Make Money" and "Nothing Else", remember that. Play in games that are "Beatable". >When you're playing at a limit that allows you to play "Correctly" and not "Scared" is a good sign that you've chosen the appropriate limit, as well. (Don't play over your head). >Don't just sit in the first game that comes "Available". Scope out all the games FIRST, and then make your decision. If all the games are too tough one day, than I suggest you use that time to "Watch and Observe". >Observing players is a good way of "Gaining Experience". It's "Free Knowledge". It won't cost you a dime to sit behind a friend and watch them play, and it will definitely be a"Good Learning Experience" for you to use later on. When you"Observe" the game as an "Outsider", you'll be able to pick up on everything, from players "Tells", to certain "Mood Swings", to how a particular player may "Play"a certain hand, and much, much more. >Learn more than one game, It's "Important". Give yourself an "Advantage" that many players don't have. Being "Knowledgeable" in several games will increase your chances to "Earn".You may look around the room and see that there aren't any "Good" hold-em games, or maybe the game just broke, or maybe, you're running bad in that game. Wouldn't it be nice to have the "Option" of being able to play in any game you wanted to? (within your limits, of course). >You had mentioned that you have "Patience and Discipline" most of the time. You must "Commit To Having Patience And Discipline ALL OF THE TIME If You Plan On Being A Successful Poker Player".< >The more "Tools" you have, the "Stronger" you will become. 4 POKER | ||
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| Re: Mike Caro, 4POKER & Others - Table Selection, Wren, 7. May 2003 14:45 | ||
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| Hey 4Poker, I love your posts as you have a wealth of knowledge and tons of interesting things to say BUT...What's up with the extensive use of quotation marks in your posts lately? I find it very distracting and I think it takes away from what you are trying to say. I'm not sure how others feel about it, but that's my opinion. | ||
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| Re: Mike Caro, 4POKER & Others - Table Selection, stdioh, 8. May 2003 14:00 | ||
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| I think he's trying to write like Phil Hellmuth :) | ||
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| Cold calling with AT is a no-no., stdioh, 7. May 2003 07:28 | ||
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| It's not a crying fold to throw away your AT to a raise. What is your opponent raising with? Lets look at the common raising hands, shall we? AA,KK,QQ,JJ,TT all have you hopelessly dominated. You either have 1 live overcard or worse. AK, AQ, AJ also have you hopelessly dominated - you have only a live undercard. And KQ has you in a good position too because if an ace comes along with a king or queen then KQ won't pay you off, but if TJA all hit the board you're in deep deep trouble with your nice looking 2 pair against a straight. Basically, you are in real trouble from any raising hand here, so get rid of those cards and wait for something better. | ||
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| Re: Mike Caro, 4POKER & Others - Table Selection, Roy Cooke, 7. May 2003 09:36 | ||
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| Play with bad players and/or those you match up well against. If you are tight and unimaginative then that will be loose unaware players....If your game is full of play and you need to be aware of how players react then you will want to play mediocre competition...Those with some awareness, but not experts. | ||
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